The Virat Kohli Video That Went Viral- Team India undoubtedly is in the driver’s seat at the end of the third day’s play of the second Test. After managing to dismiss England for just 134 runs on Day-2, the hosts continued to strengthen their grip with amazing performance.
That was first with the bat and then with the ball in the latter half of the Day’s play. India’s dominant performance on Day-3 saw them perhaps an inch closer to the hopes of series-levelling victory.
Read More: Mohammed Siraj Ignores Ashwin’s Warning To Bat Calmly; See The Result
Rishabh Pant drops Helmet thrown by Kohli:
Rishabh Pant has now made it a habit to make it to the headlines on a daily basis. In spite of supporting the team with his exceptional batting, it is his bloopers that are being highlighted. They are the most by the Indian media and Social Media.
We all know that the youngster is not so comfortable behind the wickets. Even in this Test series against England, he has already made a couple of wicket-keeping blunders. That is just with only two games played. On the 4th day of the Test match, a video recording got viral on Twitter. This was a video in which Virat Kohli threw the helmet towards Rishabh Pant, passing it to him. Funnily, Pant was unable to catch that as well. Kohli’s reaction was enough to have his fans drooling.
Spinners shone as England started the day in fine fashion:
With Rohit and Pujara on the crease at the start of Day3, some seriously good batting display was expected from Team India. England, however, turned things around with some serious good execution early on. India lost Pujara in the first over of the day. It was again him who was a victim of a bizarre dismissal as he was run out by the short leg fielder after he had flicked it straight to him. He barely had less than a second to return back to his crease before which Pope managed to return it to the keeper who took the bails off.
If Steve Smith did this there would be calls for him to be banned @tomvruss @MattWilcox73 No ? pic.twitter.com/gLFBUCM9vV
— Stephen Potter (@S55JNP) February 14, 2021
Pujara dropped his bat and his foot or rather his heel was found on the line in the replay. Soon after this Jack leach managed to get the centurion in the first innings, Rohit out for 26, stumped by a quick glove work from Foakes from behind the wicket. Rishab Pant who was new to the crease didn’t bother to attack the spinner right from the beginning, a decision which soon cost Team India his wicket too. Moen Ali dragged him out of his crease, asking to go big. The ball kind of sneaked beneath the bat through to Foakes who stumped another Indian batsman with ease.
A quick collapse of the middle order; gives Team India the advantage:
While Virat Kohli was trying to gather solidity on one end, there didn’t really seem any other batsman interested in the same. Next man in after Pant’s fall, Rahane too couldn’t extend his stay. He was gone in 14 balls as he fell to Leach’s brilliant spin. That was leaving his side in all trouble at 86/5.
With half the side gone, Kohli now tried to open up and play a few scoring strokes. He took efforts, as the tail was on its way to be exposed. Debutant Axar Patel tried to accompany Kohli by building a handy partnership. He played fluent strokes only to be trapped by the brilliant spinning pitch. He was dismissed LBW by Moeen Ali. That was with India reduced to 106/6 and the lead just over 300.
However, things were just not over yet. Test cricket is a game that lasts longer than just a session and a wicket. It is not as simple as it may seem. That was exactly the case this time around.
Lower middle-order resistance tattered all English hopes:
With more than half the side down, India’s second innings batting seemed to come to an end soon. It was with Kohli stranded at one end, looking for a partner. Ravi Ashwin then took up the responsibility of re-instilling the falling vigour. He was the one among the falling wickets.
He battled out against the likes of Leach and Ali. Was on a tough track and played brilliant, fluent scoring strokes. That helped put the pressure back on the bowlers thereby preventing the fall of wickets.
The vitality of his contribution can be felt from the fact that it was his freeflow batting that helped Kohli come out of his defensive shell and go for natural strokes. Thus showcasing a brilliant batting display this magical duo had managed to reach Team India up to 156/6 at lunch.
The story for the bowlers just didn’t seem to change. It was as Ashwin continued to play attacking strokes looking for quick runs. Broad, after being brought back into the attack. That was amidst the spinners getting hit. They tried a strategy by bringing the keeper close behind the batsman.
The ruse worked well. However, it only brought even more disappointment to the fielding side. Just because Ashwin was dropped in quick successions by Stokes in the slip. After that, then by Foakes. Both the batsmen brought up fantastic fifties. That was thereby demolishing the strategy of the visitors.
They kept the target in check which they were to chase in fourth innings. The 96-run stand was ultimately broken by Ali when Virat got LBW for a sublime 62.
A brilliant performance by the tailenders of the Team India:
By then the lead had almost reached 400. It was just left on the Indian batsmen now as to how long they could extend their innings and the lead. After the long Kohli-Ashwin partnership ended the tailenders, Kuldeep and Ishant too fell. That was in a short time with Ashwin stranded at one end. A few steps away from a 100.
He successfully found the able support of No.11, Mohd Siraj. The guy who combined in an amazing 51 run partnership for the last wicket. Ashwin played some quick-fire strokes from one end and got a wonderful century. He scored the fifth of his Test career.
Siraj too showcased outrageous batting abilities by smashing two sixes to the spinner Leach who was on top. Stone picked Ashwin for 106, the only wicket by a pacer in that inning as Team India finished, all out for 286 and thereby providing England with a mammoth target of 481 to climb in the fourth innings.
England left on the brink by the end of the day, Team India on top:
Having a target of 481 runs in front of them in fourth innings inside Day-3, itself was a shock already for England. All they could ask for was some seriously charismatic approach from their batsmen. This was towards aiming for this impossible situation. That’s certainly what did not happen. It was India who finished the day perhaps in the just most perfect manner.
That was as they managed to send three of their batsmen back by the end of the day. Axar Patel foxed Sibley early for three. Ashwin who wasn’t contented with just his batting contributions. He found his moment with the ball too by dismissing Burns for 25.
Jack Leach sent out as a nightwatchman couldn’t survive overnight. He went for a duck as probably what the Indian team expected. At the end of the day’s play, England finished on 53/3. With India needing, just seven wickets for a series-levelling win and two days of the Test match left it seems unlikely for the visitors to initiate a turnaround here.
All they can expect is some stubborn response from their men the next day. That is so that the host doesn’t find a victory. It is similar to a walk in the park the next day. That, however, will be a really tough thing to do for the upcoming batsman. They will have to fight against the likes of the Indian spinners the next day. Let’s wait and watch!!!
